I JUST got doctor permission to resume running and weight training (which I am VERY excited about - I was going nuts). Of course I know to ease back into it slowly since it has been 2 months, very weak from hospital still, etc...

I am looking to see if anyone is aware of a good protein supplement (and also a creatine supplement) that is "safe" with UC. I previously used BSN's Syntha6, which not only tastes great but is a great supplement overall. The problem is that it has a high fiber content, which I am still supposed to avoid for the time being.

I am lactose intolerant but taking Lactaid works 99.9% of the time. I want to avoid chocolate for the time being too, so the flavor needs to be fruity or vanilla (preferred).

Ensure is NOT an option. Soy is worthless (and bad for males). I need casein, whey, and creatine.

I am hoping there is another runner or weight lifter out there with UC who has had good success with something. There are TONS on the market but deciphering their "proprietary blend" ingredient labels is a huge ordeal to figure out what does and does not have potential problems in them.

Thanks in advance!uc_man25 yoDiagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in Spring 2003Longest period of time without flareup: maybe half a year

Ive been taking ON Whey protein for the past 3 months and its great. Obviously youre not going to be taking it with milk but it doesnt clump up with water and its 24g per scoop. I take 2 scoop shake in the morning and 2 scoop post workout in the evening. It comes in Chocolate and Vanilla flavor.

As far as creatine goes, if youre going to take a powder make sure its Creapure. Apparently Creapure is german creatine and is better than every other kind. I took some GNC creatine monohydrate but it didnt do much for me. I am in the process of ordering some Gaspari creatine drinks (Superpump 250 and Sizeon) because Ive heard a ton of good things about them. Most people using it claim 20% size and strength gains that they keep it even after they stop using. Its fairly expensive ($75 a months supply) but if it works its well worth the money. If you need more info check out bodybuilding.com forums also.Male 29yrs old Bay Area, California

Thanks for the feedback. I just did a lot of reading and ON's 100% Whey seemed to be the way to go so I am glad you speak highly of it. It lacks the garbage some other blends contain and has lactase enzyme already added to help with my lactose intolerance. I am going to do it and their 100% Casein (for night time). Trying just the 1 lb of each in vanilla to give it a shot on mixing, flavor, and see how my body reacts.uc_man25 yoDiagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in Spring 2003Longest period of time without flareup: maybe half a year

Using a good probiotic daily and indefinitely (flaring or not) aids with lactose intolerance, I speak from experiance of having severe lactose inotlerance...L-Glutamine is important and can even be beneficial for IBDers.

:)My bum is broken....there's a big crack down the middle of it! LOL :)

If you are looking to bulk up, whey is not necessarily your best option. But that is not to say it won't help. Creatine would likely be your best bet to bulk up, especially since you can get it in pure form without a bunch of additives that may cause problems for your UC.

Protein is key for working out in that it is what your muscles use to rebuild. You gain muscle mass & size (not to mention strength) by breaking down the muscle while working out and your body rebuilds it during rest. You need a slow digesting protein such as casein at night. In the morning and then pre/post workout, you need a fast one such as whey.

There are of course TONS of resources online with further info. Here is a good resource (published by Optimum Nutrition so ignore their product specific info although it is well reviewed): "The Complete Guide to Protein" http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/protein_guide.pdf

As far as where to get it...yes, online via Amazon or BodyBuilder.com (numerous other options). Some grocery stores and pharmacies carry a limited selection. If you have a local fitness health store, you get personalized advice, often times get free samples to see what works for you (what works with your UC), and what tastes good. Even my smaller town has a big one with all major brands.

Best of luck!uc_man25 yoDiagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in Spring 2003Longest period of time without flareup: maybe half a year

Hey thanks man! I've never been a workout guy and have always been rather slim. Just since i've gotten this disease i've lost more weight. I think part of it is the disease and the other part is that I don't eat garbage anymore (for the most part).Male7/21/85Diagnosed 2/0810 Asacol per dayTrying to eat healthyMisses chocolate and ice cream...

Yeah. I was slim in high school but bulked up (in a bad way) in college thanks to poor diet. I then lost 50 lbs over past 2 years by working out and running. Lost another 20 (the bad way) in the hospital from recent flareup, so I am working to gain some of it back and mainly regain the muscle mass I had before hospital.

Just ease into it. If the gym offers free personal trainers (many apparently offer free initial sessions) take advantage of it. Getting them to show you the proper way to use equipment and do exercises will really pay off in the long run when you are able to remain injury free.uc_man25 yoDiagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in Spring 2003Longest period of time without flareup: maybe half a year

Adam I've been buying all my supplements and protein drinks at GNC.com but Ill likely be using Bodybuilding.com store this time due to the prices being a bit lower.

I did a 3 month bulk and went from 175-190 although mine was somewhat of a dirty bulk due to waaaay too many bbqs in the summer and drinking. Just find out what your daily caloric intake is (use fitday.com to track meals, its free) and add another 200 calories to it. Track it over a week and see if you gain weight at the end of the week. If you dont increase add another 200 calories. Losing or gaining weight comes down to calories in the simplest form.

Other than that make sure you're eating healthy. I tend to avoid a lot of carbs and my daily bulk meals look like this:

3 hardboiled eggs2 scoop protein shake (for bulking mix with milk if you can have it)Chicken breast with brown rice + cucumbers for lunchprotein bar as a snack before lifting2 scoop shake after workoutchicken breast or beef steak for dinner

That will roughly come out to about 2500 calories with 80g fat, 50ish carbs and 200+ protein.

Outside of the diet just make sure you hit the weights really hard and after 6months, Im sure youll have gained some good lean weight. Most people avoid cardio when bulking but I like to run for atleast 30mins a day even if only on the treadmill. Hope that helps :PMale 29yrs old Bay Area, California

I agree with Doz about including cardio. If you want to gain some visible mass yet be defined (lean muscle), keeping cardio in the mix will help. My trainer said keeping it under 30 min will not affect your muscle gains. Granted, I am a runner so my focus is a little different and gaining mostly my arms/chest/back to where they were is the focus of the weight training. My legs will get the biggest bump from running.

Just follow a good recovery plan. Give each muscle group 2 days between workouts to rest. As mentioned, rest is when they rebuild and grow.

Oh and about BodyBuilding.com: WOW! I placed my order at 5:29 PM yesterday. My entire order was on my front porch this morning delivered via FedEx at 11:19 AM (shipped from their FL warehouse to me here in NW GA). WOW FAST! And it was packed well, exactly what I ordered.

Back to the UC side of things: I am going to be cautious and start with just the Optimum Nutrition 100% Casein tonight as a shake (just water & ice in blender) before bed. We'll see how things go overnight, in the morning, and tomorrow. If all goes well I'll give it another shot tomorrow night. I'll post up one way or the other as to how it goes. Once I know the casein is fine, I'll give the whey a shot (reason I am trying the casein first is it is used less often than the whey so easier to test it out).uc_man25 yoDiagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in Spring 2003Longest period of time without flareup: maybe half a year

Again, thanks for all the input! I definitely still planned on doing some running. The other day after I lifted, I ran on the treadmill for 15 minutes. That was how I planned on doing things so I'm glad you guys both agree on running.

Yeah, fill me in on how the Casein made you feel in the morning. Morning is when I'm at my worst so I don't really wanna take something that may cause some problems in the morning.Male7/21/85Diagnosed 2/0810 Asacol per dayTrying to eat healthyMisses chocolate and ice cream...

Yep, mornings always tend to be my worst during a flare-up. Waking up with a happy gut the past week has me thinking maybe it is indeed heading into remission woohoo!

Little tip: throw in some incline on the treadmill, even if it is only 1%. Men's Health Treadmill Workoutsuc_man25 yoDiagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in Spring 2003Longest period of time without flareup: maybe half a year

I'd say cardio is contraindicated if you're very underweight from UC and/or if you are a natural ectomorph. I've been in remission for a long time, but I still limit cardio because I'm an ecto (hardgainer). What cardio I do is short and intense. Long bouts of steady state cardio are the enemy of anyone who's really trying to put on muscle.Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis spring 1999. Have been in remission for years with only a few minor blips. Scope on 6/22 showed no inflammation at all.

I personally had no problem gaining muscle and size (and being asked what I was doing to get "jacked" or "ripped") while simultaneously training for and racing both 5K and 10K's (so high miles and time spent running each week). Each person is unique though and needs to find their own balance. Not over-training and doing each exercise, no matter how simplistic, properly is what is needed for solid gains and to remain injury free.

As an update, I have not had any problems after taking the Optimum Nutrition 100% Casein Protein supplement last night just prior to bed. I actually noted my midsection is less bloated looking today and so far I feel great. I will note that ON has NOTHING on BSN's Syntha 6 in terms of taste. But it was decent as far as protein shakes go.uc_man25 yoDiagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in Spring 2003Longest period of time without flareup: maybe half a year

Why do you need a protein supplement? Why not just eat plenty of tuna and chicken......plenty of good protein there. Lean cuts of beef are very high in protein as well. Protein powders are good for people who need large quantities of it daily, but at the same time are trying to limit carbs and fat. Are you tracking your diet? Do you know exactly how many grams of protein, fat, and carbs you are taking in daily? It's very easy to just waste money by buying supplements when you really didn't need them in the first place.

I track it to every fine detail with an app on my iPhone. Just ask my doctor how particular I am.

You need to consume 1 g of protein per lb of desired weight if your goal is to gain and are weight training. Try doing that with fish and chicken while also getting other vitamins and nutrients in your diet and not going over your caloric limit for the day (or boosting your fat intake). Now that is not to say that these meats should not be eaten - they are part of my daily intake of actual foods.

Not to mention, specific types of protein have their own benefits. Casein is slow digesting, a great overnight recovery protein. Whey protein is fast acting, great for before and after workouts when your muscles are most receptive to absorb and utilize the proteins.

To me it is not a waste of money. If you don't have specific fitness goals, then yes they would be. If you track your calories and the breakdown of fats, carbs, and proteins, know how much you need to consume to support your goals and your workout routine, then it is far from a waste if you are willing to spend the money.

And many of the designer meal replacement protein supplements have costs comparable to a home prepared meal (such as a lunch) yet are quick and convenient, much better for you than fast food would be if you are in a pinch.uc_man25 yoDiagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in Spring 2003Longest period of time without flareup: maybe half a year

I've tried a few different powders over the years. To me they're all pretty much the same, but you need to stay away from any of them that have carrageenan as an ingredient. The Optimum Nutrition stuff is good......they offer a 100% whey isolate product, and a 100% casein product. At Large Nutrition has good products, Nitrean is their protein supplement, and Opticen is their MRP. They combine the whey and casein in their powders though if that's an issue. Be aware that Opticen contains carrageenan though. Lately I've been getting the Isopure RTD bottles at GNC. They usually have 15-20 bottles that are nearing their expiration date and I get them for $1 each (nearly $5 regular). I typically consume 20g protein mixed with 70g GlycoMaize powder (simple and complex carb mix) preworkout, and 40g protein post workout. I use powder to fill in the gaps to get my macros where I need them (300p/200c/100f), and like you said it'd be near impossible to do that with regular food.

I have had good results with the GNC 100% whey protein. I have a hard time with soy and lactose but I can tolerate this with no problem. I use before and/ or after a work out/game. Another nice thing about it is you dont get a overly "full' feeling and my body seems to absorb it quckly. I also use it when I have a bad flair up and need protein fuel. Iso Pure is lactose free, that gave me cramps and diarrhea bad.